Excavating machine



EXCAVATING MACHINE INVENTOR. HENRY L. MEYER A TTONEYS June 14, 1960 H. 1MEYER EXCAVATING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 21, 1957 INVENTOR.HENRY L. MEYER x Y IIx n- .n .e l ll l. Il

2422/65/ 728;@ lgw,

ATTENEYS June 14, 1960 H. L. MEYER EXCAVATING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet I5Filed June 2l, 1957 2,940,189 ExcAvATnvG ivrAcnusii nited StatesPate"`fiA The Cleveland Trencher Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporationof Ohio Fife Jiie 21, 1957, -ser'. Nb, ssznsiV s eta' im' s; (envienThisinven titu; relates to an excavating machine and more particularlyto the conveyor apparatus used to" discharge vthe excavated material'from the machine.

For many years it has been Vcustomary toprovidea trench excavatingmachine with 'a discharge conveyor such, lfor instance, 'an endless beltextendingacross'the machine in position to receive and dischargeVexcavated material. Such conveyors have usually been mountedfortransverse movement on a suitable support carried by the machine sothat they mightibe 'extended out# Wardly from the machine towardeither'side thereof, as

desired, and so control the'position of `the discharged material. Theseconveyors have been providedz at theiropposite ends with drive shafts'carrying rollers or driims to drivingly support the endlessbelt of theconveyor. The belt has been driven by' an endless drive chain which has.been interconne'ctedbetween vsprocket wheels i mounted ontheaforementioned drive shaftslj A power-` -driven sprocketV Wheel has beengenerallymonnted on thesupport in position to Vvengage one" stretch of'the chain intermediate 'the end sprockets 'and so'drive'fthe vi'dedwitha rackcoacting'with a pinion carriedbya gear housing mounted on theconveyor supportiandcon-f taining' a worm 'gear' reducing unit forshifting"tliejcon`v veyor to either side of the'machinejy The gearfredufing unit has either been handoperatedas byV rneansfof a crank or hasbeencoupled with the Vniotor unitofthe excavating machine for power`shifting of 'the 'discharge conveyor. l

The conveyor frame in most prior art 'arrangements has' generally beenof arcuate shape "inside elevation` to provide a facile configurationforshiftingthe conveyor and for' elevating the ends` thereof,"todischarge the excavated material at variableheights into a receivingvehicle, or onto piles along the sides of the machine. This arcuateconstruction ofconveyor hasnot always been found satisfactoryin that theconveyor is subject to interference and/or damaging contact duringdigging operations, with exterior obstructions, such as mounds of dirt,rocks, etc, disposed along the rim of the excavation. Moreover, theangle of travel of the belt element of the conveyor has been rathersevere at the discharging end thereof Vwhen the latteris raised to itsmaximum height during digging operations. yIf. the radius of the arcuateconstruction is increased to thereby `decreasethe angular graden? theendsof the conveyor, an adequate range of vertical height adjust:- mentof the conveyor with respect tothegrou'nd level is precluded. A

The present invention provides lan excavating machine which includesajdischargeconveyor which is offgen.-

erally Vshape in side elevationand 'which is shfta'ble to discharge fromeither side otjthemachinei The V construction of the Vconveyor providesgreater clearance between the rim of the excavation and the conveyormechanism, thus Vaiding toeliminate the possibility of interferencebetween the conveyor and the delining walls of the excavation aswell asbetween the conveyor and other exterior obstructions, and thusprecludes'damage to the conveyor structure.

Furthermore, the present invention provides aconveyor'mechanism in whichthe angular grade at thedischarging end 'thereof is lsuch that theexcavated material may be movedalong the conveyor without Yfalling backdue to the action of gravity and which provides' a greater rangeoffvertical height adjustment "ofthe discharging end ofthe'conveyorascompare'dto a similar length arcuate type: conveyor.

Moreover, the instant invention provides al shiftable conveyor mechanismwhichis fol'dable'v intermediate the ends'thereof to maintain theoverall"'width of "thema chine within predetermined limits during-roading operai tions, and hydraulic Vmeans for conveniently accomplish#ing the shifting and/ or folding operations. In` addition, the'presentinvention 'provides various other struc tural and operational featuresfor the conveyor mecha-1 nisfml than improvesV the*efficiency` andusability of the excavating'rnz1c hi nei"'Y n l It is,'therefore,an"object ofthe present" invention't'o provide 'ani excavatingVImachine' having an unloading conveyor' of `generallyV-shape'fconiiguration-in sidenelef-l vationV "foreie'gitie idischa'rgefof the' excavated"v4 materiaf to `one "or A'botlr'sicl'es'ofthe machines@M 's Another, ,Qbesf ef .the invention .is ,merende air`ex1 Cav'atugmachine Qf the, latter .freer/herein .the unload-- ina@Brei/cit ishftable bv hydraulic means to either? side ofjthe machinefor lselectively increasing ordefA creasinglthegheiehf and d stanof the.discharging end? ofgthelonveyor from the 'dirtrec'eiving section or'stai non thereof Another, vbie'cf' of the invention is to provide anexcavatingV machine of the above-mentioned Atype wh'e'ref intheconveyoruis foldable A intermediate Vtheends 'there` of for maintainingthe overallwidth of the excavating machineA within predeterrninedllimits during roading operations, and .wherein hydraulic and linkagemeans con: nected to ,theeachne frame and t0 the, Conveyor.. areoperableto accomplish the 'folding and the shifting of thec'onvfeyor.Y

Anatheffcbiect ,0f the. invent@ is to Pro/ ide an excavfiia machine .Qf.the latterrmenfoned type, wherein a novel arrangement lof slack takefupsprockets is provided V to increase the `wrap ofthe drive `chain of theconveyorabout Atl'ledrive sprocket thereof While effectivelytensioningthe drive chain:n

A further object of the invention is Vto provide a wheel type excavatingmachine having ja transversely extending,A shiftable,V-shaped'dischargeconveyor whichk is relatively simple and "light-weight inconstruction,'com paratively inexpensive to manufacture, and which maybe easilyfolded by means of a single `hydraulic piston andcylinder unitto maintain theoverall width of the machine within predetermined limitsfor reading ope eration, and which utilizesthe'same hydraulic unit forboth V,shifting and folding'of the conveyor.

.Qtherfeatures andadvantageseofjthe invention will be. apparent from thefcllowns 'description taken in C0n= junction with the drawings.Whelan;M1

Fig, V1A is aside elevation of an excavating machine embodyng thepresent invention; n ,Q

Fig 2 is a rearelevationof the machine with certain parts of the machinehaving beerioniitted .in the interests of simplicity; one operativepsitio'of the inachines4 dis`-i Y charge'conveyor and its adjustmenttion of the arrows;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view taken Y -.'strmitin-e20vof the machine. l

orY shifting means has been shown in full lines with the remainder ofthe Y structure Vand a second operative position of the conveyor sho'wnin phantom lines and with the position of the conveyor shifting meansinfsaid second operativey position being shown diagrammaticallyindot-dash lines; also shown in dashed lines is VtheV inoperative foldedposition of the conveyor and its shifting means; o

Fig 3V is a transverse section illustrating the driving mechanism forthe unloading conveyor, the' plane ofthe section being generallyindicated by the Yline 3--3 in Fig. 1; j Y Y Fig.' 4 is'an Venlargedfragmentary elevational view taken generally along line 4-4 of Fig. 2illustrating in detailone of the rollers on the boom of the excavatingmachine Von which the unloading conveyor travels duringVshiftingthereohand the structurerfor maintaining the conveyor inassembled relationship on the boom;

, v Fig. 5 is an enlarged end view of the conveyorf taken generallyalong line 5 5 of Fig. 2.V looking'in the direc-Y In the drawings, thereis illustrated a wheel-type ex-V cavating or ditching machine. As shownin Fig. 1,l the machine comprises a frame supported by tractor belts 11.A motor 12 is mounted at one endrof the frame and is connected with thetracto'r belt by a drive chain l13 and a suitable speed reduction gearmechanism (not shown) but arranged to be controlled manually, as forinstance, by an operating lever 14. ,Y Y A The excavator wheel is shownvat 1S as comprising a pair of rings 16 joined together at theirperipheries by L l-shaped excavating buckets 17. The excavating wheel issupported by a plurality of rollers 18,"one pair o'f which is supportedby a shaft 37, and others of which are shown in Fig. l, as supported byframe structure 19. .The shaft 37 and frame structure k19 are bothsupported by horizontally extending boom member 20. The innen end ofvthe boom is pivotally connected as at 21 to a carriage 22 which ismounted for vertical movement on mast 24 carried by the yforward end ofthe frame 10; 1 f Cables 26 and 27 secured at one endto winding drums 28and 29 mounted on theY machine frame and at the other end to the outerand inner ends respectively of the boom 20, as at 30 and 31, serve Vto'control the raising and lowering movementof the excavating wheel V15.The drums 28 and 29 are driven bythe motor 12 in any suitable manner andare selectively controlled V-as for in-` stance by'operating levers 32and 33.

The excavating wheel is driven bythe motor 12.

i ThisV Ywheel carries a series of pins 35 which coactwith motor 12 inany suitable manner. The application of power to the shaft 41 iscontrolled, as by means of ia `manually operable lever 45.

The drive chain 39 is tensioned by a pair of sprocket wheels 44 carriedby a pivoted lever 43 and around which the drive chain`39v islooped.V`A- spring 47 interconnected between lever V43 and,y the machine frame-tensions the 'j driving chain throught the medium of the sprockets 4 4;The discharge conveyor "is generally indicated at 50. This conveyorcomprisesa segmental frame 51, mounted for kr(movement transversely". ofjthe .frame j 10 andboo'm In the embodiment of the invention shown,Vframe 51 comprises two sectionsSla and 51b, hinged together as at 52.Each of sections 51a`and 51b comprises a pair of longitudinally spaced,elongated rail members 53 co'nnected by cross bar members 54 (Figs. 6and 7). Preferably fabricated, side wall structure 53a projects upwardlyfrom each of rail members'53 and is suitably attached thereto. Atransversely extending shaftr55 is mounted on each end of the conveyorand carries a belt-supporting drum 56.V Since the -V-shaped constructionof the conveyor provides greater clearance `between Ythe co'nveyor frameandthe nm of the excavation,rdrum 56 may be of larger than usual size,thus providing more positive driving characteristics forv the'conveyor.Auxiliary belt supporting rollers 56a Yare disposed intermediate theends of the belt'as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The rollers 56a arerotatably mounted on shafts carried by conveyor frame 51. Material isretained on the conveyor byelongated side plate members 58inrcombination with side wall structure 53a. Plates 58 extend over thetop reach of the conveyor belt 59 and are supported on one side of theconveyor frame by side brackets 60. Plates 58 on the other side of theconveyor frame are supported on an extension of the associated side wallstructure 53a, as may be best seen in Fig. 7.

Section 517b of the conveyor frame on its inner endembodies the baseportion 61 of the V construction. Base portion 61 is ofV generallyV-shape, in side elevation, fabricated construction, and is rigidlyconnected at one end to section 51h `of 4the conveyor frame and at itsother end is hinged, as aforementioned, at 52 to section 51a of theconveyor frame. YIt will be seen, therefore, that the unloading conveyorVin etect comprises a pair of Vouter, generally linearly extendingsections which diverge outwardly with respect to one anotherand acentral portion or section of generally angular or arcuate-likeconiiguration, in.

sideV elevation, which is yattached to the outer sections to form theV-shaped contour of the conveyor. It has been found that the mostdesirable angle of grade or elevation at the discharging end of theconveyor, when it is raised to its maximum height, should beapproximately 30 degrees with respect to kthe horizontahin ordertojobtain an adequate range of vertical height adjustment of thedischarging end with respect to ground level, while still permitting theexcavated material being carried by belt element 59 to be moved upwardlywithout'slipping back on the conveyor due to the action Vof gravity. TheV-shaped conguration of the conveyor provides for a greateradjustment`of the discharging end of the conveyor, with a smaller amount oflateral or shifting movement, as compared to an arcuate type conveyor ofcorresponding length, as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

Y It will be seen that lateral or` transverse movement of the Vthemachine frame and drivingly connected Ywith the Y conveyor provides awide scopeV of vertical height positions of the discharging end of theconveyor, ranging from a substantially horizontal position to thediagonally ex tending position of the outer Vend of the conveyor section51a illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

Latch structure 62 (Fig. 6) maintains the sections 51a and 51h Vof theconveyor frame in normal operating position. Latch structure 62comprises a tongue element 62a attached at one end to angular portion 61on conveyor Section 51h and a pair of Vtransversely spaced anges S2-battached to section 51a of the conveyor frame between which tongueelement 62a is receivable. Aligned openings 63 in elements 62a and 6217are adapted toreceiveV therethrough a removable retaining element 64,sch as a pin or bolt, for holding the conveyor sections 51a and 51h inoperating position. 'Y f As shown,inFigs.,` 2 and 3,V theV boom 20.comprises a painofspacednie'm ers65, 'which in the embodimentillustrated are of polygonalconguration in vertical cross section, andare connectedby. cross-frameelernentsa (Fig`.3).e` Y Each of` beams 65vcarries a pairfofjspaced brackets `(Figs. 3 .fanclY l4*) lon theinner-.side ,surface atraiga plate 68 and serves tov retain the conveyorseated on the roller 67.

The conveyor 50 is driven from the shaft 37 Which, as heretoforedescribed, is driven by the motor 12. AAs illustrated in Fig. l, theshaft 37 is provided with a sprocket wheel 70 which is drivinglyconnected as by a drive chain 70a with a sprocket Wheel 71 carried by ashaft 71a journaled in a housing 72 secured to boom 2l). The housing 72is provided with a power transmission unit, including a Areverse gearmechanismfor reversing the direction of Vdrive of conveyor 50. A driveshaftv 74 which is operatively connected to the power transmission unitand reverse gear mechanism extends exteriorly of housing 72 and isprovided with a drive sprocket wheel 74a (Figs. l and 3), which isconnected with the conveyor shafts 55 heretofore mentioned by an endlessdrive chain 75 (Fig. 3)'. Drive chain 75 is looped about the drivesprocket wheel 74a and a pair of sprocket Wheels 76 which are secured toconveyor shatfs 55. A pair of idler sprocket wheels 77 carried by across-member 65a of the boom 20 serve to guide the lower reach ofthedrive chain 75 above the beams 65 of the boom. An idler sprocketWheel 77a mounted on central portion 61 of the conveyor frameY 51maintains the upper stretchy of chain 75 below the upper extremity ofthe conveyor 5t) wd out of damagingV contact with the excavating wheel15.

The drive chain 75 is tensioned by a pair of idler sprocket wheels 7Sand 79. In Fig. 3 of the drawings, all of the aforementioned sprocketwheels are only diagrammatically illustrated. Sprocket wheels 78 and 79are rotatably mounted on depending arm elements 78a and 7 9A,respectively, which are pivoted as at 78b and 79h on their upper ends toboom structure 20. An adjustable spring unit 80 is connected betweensprocket aim 7&1 and 79a 'and is connected thereto intermediate the endsthereof.

A nut 80a threaded on shank Silb of unit S0 provides means for varyingthe tension in spring S00. Unit 80 tends to pull arms 78a and 79atogether, thereby taking up the slack in the drive chain. In thisconnection, assuming that the drive sprocket 74a is moving in thedirection of the arrow, the tight section 81 of the lower stretch ofdrive chain 75 will cause take-up sprocket 78 to pivot away from drivesprocket 74a, thereby pulling take-up sprocket 79 toward the drivesprocket 74a 'through the medium of spring unit SG. Sprocket 79 therebytakes up the slack in the loose section 82 of the lower stretch of drivechain 75 and results in greater chain wrap around drive sprocket 74a. Agreater length of drive chain is necessary for a predetermined length ofconveyor of the V-shaped type of the invention as compared to -thearcuate type, due to the greater range or" vertical movement of theconveyor upon transverse movement thereof. Accordingly, more slackresults in the drive chain. The latter slack take-up arrangementprovides a much more ecient and positive driving mechanism, therebyreducing the possibility of slippage and the chance of failure ofthedrive chain and drive sprocket members.

The lower stretch of the endless belt element 59 passes beneath boomstructure 20 as best shown in Fig. 3. Rollers 84 rotatably mounted onboom structure 20 serve to lguide the lower reach of belt 59 below thebeams 65 of the boom.

A hydraulic motor unit could be used to drive the belt element of theconveyor instead of the mechanical gear,

`chain and sprocket arrangement illustrated. Such a hy- 6 draulicmotor'coul'd, for instance, be mounted on 'either end of the conveyorframe in :driving relationship with one -or both of belt supportingdrums 56, and would be suitably connected to 4a source of pressurizeduid such as a pump mounted on the machine chassis. The aforediscussedadvantages of the V-type conveyor of the instant invention would existequally well with such a hydraulically driven conveyor as comparedto'the mechanically `driven arrangement show-n'.

Shifting of the'conveyor 50 to either side 'of the 'ex'- cavatingmachine is'accomplishedby means of' double acting hydraulic unit 86(Fig.2) in combination with 4linkage; structure S7. One end of hydraulicunit 86 is pivotally mounted by .meansfof-bracket 88V (Fig. 1) on boomZtlwhile the other 'end of unit S6 is'pivotally coit-V nected to linklrocker arm *89.5 The outer end'of arm 89 is'pivotally yattached as at'90, as by means of remov'- able'pin 90a (Eig,- 5) to lug element92which,"inturn; is connected to side wall structure'SSa onthe outer endof conveyorfleurie 51. v Y.

The inner' end'of 1inkarm--89 is pivotallyV connected as at'94 to theouter'endl of link 'arm V96. The inner end of varm-96 is pivotallymounted as at 9 7 (Fi'g. l) to boom structure 20 of the machine.Hydraulic unit S6 is connected to a source of pressurized uid such as apump (not shown), but which may be of a conventional type, mounted onthe machine cli-assis'. Feed lines 98' (Fig-2) connect unit 86to thesource of pressurized' iuid and suitable valve means' (not shown) whichmay be o f any conventional character, control the Aflow of uid to unit86 to actuate the latter;l Whenthe conveyor is'in a laterally disposedposition on either'side Aof the machine chassis', all of the stressdueto'the weighti'ofhinge'd sectionsla and 511? of the conveyor" istransmitted directly to the aforementioned latch lstructure 62lockingthe conveyor sections together', noneV being'absorbed by thelinkage `87' and hydralic'unit 86.

When it is desired to shift' thel conveyor from theposition shown inFig.2 to the'o'thefrv side of the machine' or to any intermediateposition,"the 'aforementioned vvalve means is actuated, therebysupplying pressurized'uid' to the `cylinder of hydraulicunit '86`andcausing the plunger portion to retract.' Upon inward movement ofv theplunger, the linkage" structure 87 iscaused to fold' inwardly thusshifting `the `conveyorV laterally. The conveyor is thus movedtransversely onthe aforementioned rollers 67 on beam"me'mbefsj65 -tothe'desired position with respect tothe machine 'chassis lvand theV bottomstruc'- ture 20. In'Fig'. 2-,ithe1ocation of the' end of the conveyorwhen it is moved' transversely to its maximum lateral position on theother side of the machine chassis, is shown in phantomlines asj'at 100,The resultant folded position of actuating linkage S7 and" associatedhydraulic unit 86 isalso shown in'dot-dash.' Lugs102 (Figs. 3 and 7)attached to theunder'sideof platesf on members 53 and 'adapted forengagement with boom 'structure 2may beV provided to limit thetransverse' shifting movement of thev conveyor.

When it is desired to fold the conveyor to maintain the width of theexcavating machine within predetermined limits forjroading', Vtheaforementioned pin 64 is removed from vlatch structure 62 on each' sideof theY conveyor frame, and the weightof sectio Sla of the conveyor incombinationwith actuation of'the plunger elementof hydraulic unitl 86'causes the'co'nveyor section 51a to fold down about its hingedconnection 52 to substantially'the position shown in dashed lines'andindicated by reference numberu 103 in Eig. 2 of the drawings.

Pin `90u may then be removed to disconnect the'end of linkage arm89'lfroin the conveyor Iafter which the hydraulic unit 86 may be furtherretracted to fold linkage 87 within the general outline ofthe excavatingmachine, thus` providing a machine of predetermined width for roadingoperations. During-theifolding operation ofthe' movement.

Y 7 f conveyor a spring actuated latch mechanism generally indicated vat104, `attached to boom structure 2G and adapted to coact with theunderside yof the conveyor ytrame may be provided to hold the conveyoragainst lateral Such a latch mechanism is shown and described in UnitedStates Patent No. 2,598,339, issued May 27, 1952, to Albert R. Askue,and not be discussed in detail here.

From the foregoing description .and accompanying drawings, it will beseen that the invention provides an excavating machine having atransversely shiftable, unloading conveyor mechanism which is ofgenerally V- shaped configuration in side elevation and providing alesser angle of grade or elevation'at the discharging end of theconveyor for eicient movement of the excavated material along theconveyor and one which provides a greater clearance betweenthe conveyorframe and the rim of the excavation, as welles providing a greater rangeof vertical height adjustment for the discharging endY of the conveyor.Moreover, the invention provides an excavatingY machine of thelatter-mentioned type,1wherein the discharge conveyor is shiftedtransversely ofthe chassis of the excavating `machineby means of ahydraulic unit in combination with a linkage mechanism, and wherein anovel arrangement is provided for taking up the slack in thedrive chainof the conveyor. ln addition, the invention provides a dischargeconveyor which is foldable intermediate the ends thereof, thuspermitting the use of a greater length conveyor during diggingoperations which results in a greater lateral range of discharge of theexcavated material, but providing means for maintaining the overall`width of the excavatingrmachine within predetermined limits for Vroadingoperations.

The terms and expressions which have been employed are used Vas terms ofdescription and not of limitation, and there ispno intention inthe useof such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalentsV of thefeatures shown and described or portions thereof, but 'it is recognizedthat various modiiicationsare possible within the vscope of theinvention claimed. Y Y

I claim:

l. A discharge mechanism for an excavating machine Y or the likecomprising a support, a discharge conveyor mounted on said support, saidconveyor including a-frarne of generally V-shaped conguration inV sideelevation, means mounting said frame on said support foranti frictionmovement of said frame transversely of said sup port, a reciprocablehydraulic motor unit pivotally mounted at one end adjacent an Vouteredge portion of said support, collapsible linkage mechanismpivotallytconnected at one end to said outer edge portion of saidsupport and at the other end being pivotally connected 'to therespective end of Vsaid frame, the other end of 'said hydraulic motorunit being pivotally connected to s'aidllinkage mechanism for actuatingthe latter and thus shifting said conveyor transverselyton said supportwhereby a rocking of said conveyor on said support occurs 'to locate therectilinear endpoitions ofrsaid conveyor in selectiveangularrelationship with respect to the hori- Izontal, said conveyor includingspaced belt-supporting 'means mounted on said frame, an endless beltlooped` about said means and having its upper stretch position toreceivematerial to be discharged, a sprocket wheel drivlngly connectedto each of said belt-supporting means, a drivesprocket wheel mounted onsaid support, an endless drive chain interconnecting said iirst-namedsprocket wheels and said drive sprocket wheel and having its bottomstretch' engaged by said drive sprocket wheel, chain tensioning meansmounted on said supporton opposite sides lof saidfdrive sprocketwheeltand coacting with saidfdriv'e chain to take up slack in thelatter',V saidY tensioning means comprising spaced sprocket Wheels, eachof sa1d last-mentioned wheels being'rotatably mounted on a dependlngarmV member, said 'arm memberY being pivotally mounted at one Aendthereof 'to said Vsupport :accordingly will 1 vand a resilientunit-extending between said arm members and being connected thereto fordrawing said last-mentioned sprocketwheels toward oneV another intoengagement withsaid drive chain, said last-mentionedrwheels beingoperative to increase the wrap ,of said drive chain about said drivesprocket, and meansV for adjusting the tension in said resilient unit.

2. In'an. excavating machine including a chassis, an excavating unit, asupport-for said unit, a discharge conveyorv including a frame mountedfor lateral shifting Y movement on said support, said conveyor beingmovable to either side of said machine to extend outwardly of thechassis of the machine and being adapted to receive and dischargeexcavated material from said unit, means to lock said conveyor on saidsupport to prevent transverse movement thereof, said frametcomprising aplurality of hinged sections, manually releasable latch means formaintaining. said sections in normal operative position, saidsectionsvwhen in said last-mentioned position defining in side elevationa generally V-shaped structure, a linkage device mounted on saidsupport, means to pivotally connect said linkage device to one end ofsaid frame; a hydraulic piston and cylinder unit mounted on said supportand pivotally connected to said linkage device, means toV supplypressurized fluid to said hydraulic unit to activate the latter wherebysaid linkage device shifts said conveyor transversely of said machine,at least one of said sections being foldable with respect to the otherofvsaid sections, whereby said conveyor is disposed within the outlineof the chassis of said machine upon locking of said first-mentionedmeans, unlocking of said second-mentioned 'means and actuationof saidhydraulic unit.

3. In yan excavating machine in accordance withV claim 2, wherein saidthird-mentioned means comprises a removable holding member and saidlinkage Vdevice ex- Y tends outwardly of the outline of the chassis ofsaid machine, said linkage device being foldable within the outline ofthe chassis of said machine upon removal of said holding member. t

4. In an excavating machine, in accordance .with

. claimr2, wherein said linkage device comprises an inner arm memberhinged at one end to an outer arm member, the outer end of saidlast-mentioned member being pivotally connected to said frame, the innerend of said iirstmentioned arm being pivotally connected to saidsupport, and the outer end of said hydraulic unit being pivotallyconnected to said outer arm member intermediate the ends thereof.l

5. In an excavating machine, an excavating unit, a support for saidexcavating unit, a discharge conveyor including a frame mounted forlateral shifting movement on said support, said conveyor being shiftableon said support to an operative position wherein the conveyor extendslaterally beyond the general outline of said machine, said conveyorbeing adaptedV to receive thereon and discharge therefrom excavatedmaterial from said excavating unit, said frame comprising a plurality ofhinged sections, releasable latch means for maintaining said sections innormalV operative relation, conveyor shifting means including auidpowered motor unit coacting between said support and an end of saidframe for shifting said conveyortransversely of said support, at leastone of saidvsections 'being foldable relative to the other of saidsections and to a position wherein the conveyor is disposedsubstantially inwardly of the general outline of said machine uponrelease of said latch means and actuation of said motor unit. 'Y

Y 6. In an excavating machine in accordance with claim 5 wherein saidframe is of generally V-shaped configuration in side elevation when innormal operative condition, said shifting means including anYarticulated ,linkage de-V vice pivotally mounted' at one 'end of saidsupport and pivotally connected at the other end tosaid frame, saidlrnotor 'unit comprising a doubler-acting reciprocal hydraulic pistonand cylinder unit pivotally mounted at one end on said support andpivotally connected at the other end to said linkage device.

References Cited in the Ie of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS BardNov. 10, 1910 Smith Nov. 12, 1912 Bager Jan. 14, 1919 Norris et a1. Jan.1o, 1922 10 Brown Jan. 14, 1930 Barber June 10, 1930 10 Seyferth et al.May 22, 1934 Gustafson Mar. 1, 1938 -Gordon Mar. 8, 1938 Askue May 27,1952 Ausherman May 26, 1953 Banister et al Nov. 10 1953 Henry et al.Apr. 3, 1956 Griin May 29, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS Switzerland Apr. 16,1921 Great Britain I an. 28, 1953

